Duty
by xbecbebex
Summary: Medieval AU. She had been promised to him for as long as she could remember. Had never questioned it, not even the morning of their wedding. Rating may go up in later chapters, not quite sure.
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'll update Secrets as soon as my muse comes back! For now, I'm not sure where this idea came from really, but hopefully you guys like it! Read and review as always. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. This is also an AU, just so you folks know. It's set in the medieval times, I suppose I haven't thought much else to do with the setting aside from that. Hope you like it. Ask me any questions! This is just a trial chapter!

DISCLAIMER: Still don't own any characters mentioned in the following story. No copyright infringement intended.

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It had been her future for as long as she could possibly remember, knowing that one day she would be the dutiful wife to Lord Clegane. An agreement that had been settled after he had saved her own father, the King. She knew this and accepted this, obedient child that she was. She never rose her voice, never threw a tantrum unlike her younger siblings, but she was the eldest princess and so there were certain expectations that were pushed on her.

She knew very few things about her husband-to-be, had only met with him a handful of times before their official betrothal was announced publicly. Sansa knew that he wasn't an attractive man, not really, because of the burns that marred one side of his face. He did his best to hide those scars under matted unruly hair that barely did the job. She pitied him as much as she feared him. But it wasn't really him who scared her, despite his brusque nature with everyone he encountered and his raspy voice, it was the anger that burned deep in his eyes. Anger that Sansa herself hoped she would never ever experience.

But, there were stories about him of course, and when the maids didn't think she was listening, they'd speak about him. How brave he was. How he taught the young boys living near his land to fight properly, how he from time to time was found giving alms to the poor. She also knew he had a wicked temper, but had never raised a hand nor harmed a hair on a woman. He liked wine far too much and was often in his cups in the early evening, but if the stories of how he received his scars were true, could she really blame him?

She decided that to be his wife, she would have to know his story. He was at least ten years older than her, that much she knew, but now that she was of marrying age, ten and six to be exact, the difference hardly mattered. In just a few short hours, dawn would break through the mist in the sky and the sun would warm the land surrounding the castle. Her maids would rush into her room to ready her for her wedding.

Today, Sansa Stark woke up a girl. Tonight, she'd go to bed as a wife and a woman. The thought made her tremble. She would have to leave behind her family and friends, and the castle and lands she knew so well. But his lands were not so far away, maybe two days' ride if one rode fast enough, so she wasn't going to be so very far away. Her light blue eyes met their reflections in the looking glass leaning against the wall and she examined herself neutrally.

She had always been a pretty little thing, but as she grew older, her legs grew longer and her height had been a slight problem with some men. Not that that mattered, Sansa had been promised for years. Her lovely red hair nearly always hung around her shoulders in loose waves, but she would wear it down only once more. Tomorrow, her hair would be bound back in a modest way, a true sign of a wife.

She had a shapely enough body, she supposed, but the only other women she really had to compare herself to were some of the doughy maids and her gorgeous and slender mother. She took after her in that aspect. In fact, she was a near mirror image of her mother, with barely a trace of her father in her. Her little sister however, was her father through and through.

Sansa's attention flickered over to the chest outside of which hung a lovely creamy colored gown with gold trim around the bells of the sleeves that would hang over her fingers and the lower neckline that would cover her chest. It was lovely and the colors signified her nobility and willingness to be Lord Clegane's for life. And she meant it with every being of her soul, had never ever questioned it, not even now, the morning of her wedding. The only thing she feared was not the walk to her husband or the thought of leaving home (though that made her sad to think of) it was the duties a wife had to perform to please her husband. Duties that started the night after the wedding. She was lucky, her mother told her, that she wasn't marrying a man of a higher station, though she certainly deserved one. She was lucky because the higher the man was in ranking, the more important it was that the marriage be consummated and there had to be witnesses.

A flush colored Sansa's cheeks as she looked back at herself in the mirror. Witnesses to something as private as a man and his wife's bedding? The thought horrified her and she sent a silent prayer to the Heavens that her sister would be so lucky as she. She was frightened, yes, but not of him, only of his anger, the fire she saw that burned in his eyes.

She knew in her heart, he would never hurt her.


	2. Chapter 2

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was pleasantly surprised by the rave reviews I received. I'm glad some of you are enjoying it and thanks to all the follows! I'd love to hear what you all think and hope to continue to please you with this chapter.

DISCLAIMER: All hail the mighty Martin and his genius works.

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Sansa couldn't recall a time that she had had her mother to herself in ages. When she was a little girl, her parents' first (they had had only a boy before her) she had been spoiled rotten with her mother's attentions, but when her brothers and sister were born, the babes needed her more than Sansa had. But now, the morning of her wedding, which was only hours away, Queen Catelyn was busy weaving little bits of winter rose into her wavy red hair.

"Mother, tell me again how Lord Clegane saved Father." She looked up at her mother who was frowning in concentration with pins clenched in between her lips. Her matching blue eyes met her daughter's and she smiled.

"Ah, my pet, you want to hear the story I have told you a million times over? Very well, settle back and let me finish your hair and I will tell you."

Sansa sighed softly as she felt her mother's nimble fingers sorting her hair into little braids at the sides to loop behind her ears. She allowed her eyes to close as she inhaled her mother's scent for possibly the very last time as a young maid.

"You were just a toddling babe, Sansa, and your father hated to be away from you for long, but this was before he had become King and he had duties to his own father. To his brother. These often carried him across the lands and far from us all, but I was never very lonely, I had you and Robb to keep me company." Her hands continued to lightly tangle into her daughter's flaming hair as a softness came over her face.

"One time, he was gone for a very long time. It wasn't supposed to be that way, but that's how war is, it keeps you from the ones you love. Well, I didn't hear from him for ages it seemed before a messenger arrived, dirty and out of breath from riding for days on end, with a message from Lord Clegane himself. He had been fighting alongside your father in what was supposed to be an easy battle, but they were deceived. Half of your father's men were slaughtered and he nearly was too, but your husband-to-be managed to get between him and a sword that had been meant for his neck. He took a wound for your father, but your father was gravely injured."

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The time had come for Sansa to walk down the aisle, to meet the man whom would become her whole world. She hoped there would be happiness in their marriage and many children. Laughter if she was lucky and love if God deemed them deserving. But she was prepared to give anything this man wished of her because of the things he did for her father so many years before. He had been a young man new to battle but had come out of it a young lord with a King's devotion.

Her mother's words echoed in her head as she adjusted the train of her dress before staring down the church's aisle. She could see a massive man, bigger than she had remembered even though she was taller than the last time she had seen him. Would he be happy with his little wife? Would her looks please him?

'He took your father to his modest home, then little more than a shack really, and nursed him back to health with the help of a local innkeeper's wife. They helped him through his fever and then Lord Clegane helped him regain his strength. He also accompanied your father all the way back to the castle walls and tried to refuse any form of payment for his kindness. He told your father it was simply his duty to his fellow man. Your betrothal was settled that night. Your father felt there was no other way to thank the man who saved his life than by pledging his beloved little girl as his future wife. Lord Clegane tried to refuse the title and lands his father decreed to him, but you know your father, he can be very persuasive when he needs to be.'

A small smile starts on Sansa's pink lips as she placed one slippered foot in front of the other, letting the candles guide her way. Her eyes were trained straight ahead but she did not miss the glowing pride her father had in the front row. Her mother's eyes were not entirely dry but she was composed as was expected of a Queen.

Somehow, she made it up to the stairs where the priest and Lord Clegane- Sandor, she had to remind herself, that's his real name. That is the name that she could call him when they became familiar with each other-stood. His broad back was turned to her, but she could see the fine clothing he was in, a gift from her father, one of many, with his house's colors, yellow and black. She tried to take in all of him, but found she couldn't as she stepped up one stair and then another.

All too soon, Sansa heard him vow to take care of her, protect her, provide for her and even love her. His voice was raspy as she remembered but there was something oddly entrancing in it. Then the priest turned to her and it was her turn to swear the same things, vowing to give him a family and make him happy. There were no tears in her eyes, despite the emotions she was feeling.

Then, the rings were presented and she nearly gasped at how pretty hers was. She was expecting a simple band of some sort but on closer inspection, after the rings had been blessed, she saw hers was engraved with a little bird perched on a tree branch. He touched it to each of her fingers before sliding onto her ring finger. His hands were shaking. She did the same, swearing all of the same things to him.

Then the entire church was praying for them, lead by the priest and a gold chalice was presented for the couple to drink from, furthering their bond. Sansa let her eyes meet Sandor's dark ones and she was shocked to see a little smile twitch on his lips. They had been blessed and now were truly wed.

Her stomach fluttered as her husband (what an amazing thought!) leaned in close to her to press a quick kiss to her lips. One half of them was rough and the other tender and smooth. She closed her eyes and sighed softly before she was being lead back through the church towards the feast that was to be held in their honor.

Sansa looked up at her tall husband, admiring his large stance, how powerful and scary he must seem to some, but she had seen something in his eyes, heard something in his voice, that told her that he would keep her safe, this day and every single one after it. He wouldn't meet her gaze, but she saw the same twitch on his lips.

She had never questioned her duty before, as a daughter or a princess. Now, she wouldn't doubt her duties as a wife, no matter how unpleasant they may become. If she could have the love of this man sitting beside her, taking only a few sips of wine unlike he normally did, well, Sansa decided there was a reason for duty after all.


	3. Apology

My dearest Readers,

I'm so sorry for the lack of updates on 'Duty' and 'Secrets'. I have been secretive in the past as to my struggles but I think it only fair for you to know why my updates have not been coming round as often as you'd like. Or at all.

I was diagnosed with clinical depression several years ago after a horrible event. It also ran in my DNA. I have my good years and my bad years. That was a bad year. This past summer was horrible. And recently, it's flaring up again.

Because of this struggle, I have effectively lost my muse and passion for writing and even reading most of the time. It's truly tragic when you lose interest in the things you love the most. I am so very sorry and hope you can all hold on hope that someday soon I'll recover and my muse will come back and updates will come frequently.

For now, I thank you for hanging in there, for supporting me. Thanks so much.

Sincerely,

Becky


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